Clovis Community College Art Exhibitions: March 2025 Exhibition: Angel Lesnikowski

By: Angel Lesnikowski
Clovis Community College Lobby Gallery
March 3-28, 2025

Artist Talk: Monday, March 10, 4pm
Reception: Monday, March 10, 5-7pm

The Cigarette Box Project is my way of transforming discarded cigarette boxes into miniature landscapes rich with history and meaning. Although I have never smoked, I have long been fascinated by cigarettes, their ritualistic nature, their slow destruction of the body, and the intimate culture that surrounds them. Many of my loved ones were smokers, and I found comfort in the routine. Whether sitting alongside my father, grandmother, coworkers, or friends, I often observed the quiet moments of reflection that smoking provided. I began collecting empty cigarette boxes, USA Light 100’s, Marlboro Red and Black, Newport Menthol, and, most notably, Seneca Silver 100’s, from anyone willing to give me their trash. The Seneca Silver 100’s became the most significant part of the collection, with over 600 boxes gathered since 2022, all from my grandfather-in-law. The decision to paint western desert landscapes on these boxes was inspired by the Seneca Silver 100’s packaging itself. The design, an understated monochromatic mountain lakeside, appeared to me as a kind of miniature world, a space waiting to be filled. Each box was sealed with remnants of its past use inside, then coated with gesso, preparing the surface for oil paintings of desert landscapes. The desert holds deep personal significance for me. My father, an archetypal cowboy, spent much of his life on horseback, traveling through the great American deserts. My mother, an Assyrian woman from Iraq, was raised in the Middle Eastern desert. Though my family settled in Fresno, California, in a suburban neighborhood with modern comforts, our household was shaped by a survivalist mentality. Water was precious, food was stockpiled, and an ever-present sense of unease lingered as if a disaster were always imminent. I came to associate the desert not only with resilience but also with an underlying sense of fear, a psychological landscape as much as a physical one. Beyond my personal history, my choice to paint the western deserts of America carries a broader awareness. The land I inhabit is stolen land. Seneca is a Native American-owned cigarette brand, a name that serves as a reminder of historical loss. Since the arrival of settlers, tribal nations have lost nearly 99% of their land through forced migration, treaty violations, theft, and devastating government policies designed to dismantle Native sovereignty and culture. With this in mind, I have painted hundreds of desert scenes from the Great Basin, Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan deserts. Over time, the process has become instinctive causing more than 80% of the paintings to be imagined dreamscapes, places that do not exist yet feel real, seamlessly blending into the visual language of the desert. Through The Cigarette Box Project, I reclaim discarded objects, transforming them into spaces of memory, history, and quiet reflection, where the personal and political, the intimate and the vast, converge.

(Photo courtesy of Angel Lesnikowski)

Angel Lesnikowski is a contemporary artist whose work engages deeply with themes of mortality, human rights, and feminist perspectives, often explored through the lens of the female gaze. Their art interrogates complex issues such as war in the Middle East, pro-choice advocacy, and the human experience, blending emotional intensity with conceptual rigor. Lesnikowski’s approach is both personal and political, using visual storytelling to challenge societal norms and provoke thought. Half Assyrian Iraqi and half white cowboy from LA, Lesnikowski's upbringing was shaped by two vastly different cultural influences, creating a unique perspective in their work. Raised in a household where these diverse backgrounds converged, they explore these intersecting identities in their art, blending personal narratives with broader cultural and political themes. Though still early in their career, Lesnikowski has exhibited across the Central Valley and Bay Area since 2018, with works featured in solo and group exhibitions. Their studio is based at Corridor 2122 in Fresno, California, where they continue to create art that provokes thought and conversation about identity, history, and societal issues. With a growing reputation, Lesnikowski’s work resonates with those interested in art that reflects and critiques contemporary issues, positioning them as an emerging voice.

Lesnikowski's Websites

Angel Lesnikowski
The Cigarette Box Project